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THE NEW TESTAMENT VERSION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS In the yards, on the automobiles, and at the church buildings it is popular for people to put up placards of the ten commandments. By this they are letting the world know that they believe in God and take a stand for ethical standards. All Christians need to stand for the same principles and it is our duty to let the world know the same. We need to keep in mind that the ten commandments were the beginning principles of the law of Moses. They were given to the Israelites as is pointed out in Deuteronomy 5: 1-3. Christ came to fulfill this law. (Matthew 5:17) He took away the first testament to give us the New Testament. (Hebrews 10: 9,10) In Colossians 2:14 we read, "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way nailing it to the cross." As a result in Colossians 2: 16,17 he states, "Let no man therefore judge you in eat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ." So we are definitely under the New Testament and not the law of Moses. Even though we are under the New Testament, that does not mean that the principles of the ten commandments are no longer binding. In fact, these commands, with the exception of the Sabbath day, are given a deeper and more binding meaning. Let us look at the New Testament version of the ten commandments. 1. "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:3) The New Testament says "One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." (Ephesians 4:6) 2. "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image." (Exodus 20:4, 5) The New Testament says "Then saith Jesus unto him, get thee hence Satan: for it is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." (Matthew 4:10) Also, "God is a spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." (John 4:24) "Little children, keep yourselves from idols. (I John 5:21) 3. "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." (Exodus 20:7) The New Testament says "But I say unto you, swear not at all; neither by heaven for it is God’s throne: nor by the Earth; for it is his footstool; neither by Jerusalem; for it is a city of the great King. Neither shall you swear by thy head, because thou cannot make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, Yea; Nay, Nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil." (Matthew 5: 34-37) "But now ye also put off all of these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth." (Colossians 3:8) 4. "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." (Exodus 20:8) The New Testament says "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ." (Colossians 2:16, 17) 5. "Honor thy father and thy mother." (Exodus 20:12) The New Testament says "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth." (Ephesians 6:1-3) 6. "Thou shalt not kill." (Exodus 20:13) The New Testament says, "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment; but I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire." (Matthew 5:21-22) 7. "Thou shall not commit adultery." (Exodus 20:14) The New Testament says "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." (Matthew 5:27, 28) "Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body." (I Corinthians 5:18) 8. "Thou shalt not steal." (Exodus 20:15) The New Testament says "Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth." (Ephesians 4:28) 9. "Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor." (Exodus 20:16) The New Testament says "Speak not evil of one another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother and judgeth his brother speaketh evil of the law and judgeth the law: but it thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and destroy: who art thou that judgest another?" (James 4:11, 12) 10. "Thou shalt not covet." (Exodus 20:17) The New Testament says "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry." (Colossians 3:5)
The ten commandments are grouped into two parts; the first four toward God; the last six toward men. Concerning the last six Paul said, "For this thou shall not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shall not bear false witness, thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in the saying, namely, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." (Romans 13:9) C.D.
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